Sunday 13 March 2011

Mesothelioma Cancer - What Is It All About?

How is Mesothelioma cancer caused?
Mesothelioma cancer is a highly fatal disease which can impact the health conditions of a patient and it is one of the rarest forms of cancer. Anyone who is having the symptoms of this disease should undergo proper medical diagnosis to find out the status of malignant mesothelioma in order to take necessary treatment. It is caused because of continuous exposure to asbestos and this cancer is also called "asbestos lung cancer" as it mainly affects the lungs. The people who are exposed to asbestos at their workplace or home inhale the asbestos fibers which enter the pleural cavity through air canals. This leads to fluid buildup between pleural membranes which are important for movement of vital body organs. Because of this fluid buildup, respiratory problems and other symptoms of the cancer start appearing. The name Mesothelioma is based on the fact that this cancer affects the mesothelial cells which form the internal membrane which helps in movement of vital body organs. Also these cells are highly important for body's immune system.
Types of Mesothelioma Cancer:
There are different types of cancer cells and it is difficult to diagnose mesothelioma during its early stages as the symptoms mostly resemble other common diseases. In mesothelioma cancer, the abdomen and lungs of patients have greater liability of getting affected. There are 3 different types of mesothelioma cancer which includes pericardial mesothelioma which affect region surrounding the heart, peritoneal mesothelioma which affects the abdominal cavity and pleural mesothelioma which affects the pleural membrane and lungs. Each type of mesothelioma cancer has its own symptoms and has to be treated accordingly. The disease usually occurs only for people who are exposed to asbestos for more than a decade.
Mesothelioma Cancer treatment Methods:
There are various curative procedures for treating this deadly cancer. Only if the disease is diagnosed early there are chances of curing it. Some of the treatment methods include gene therapy, radiation therapy, chemo therapy and surgeries. Patients who are having the symptoms of this disease should seek medical attention immediately and get themselves diagnosed. If the symptoms are ignored and disease is found at later stages, it is very difficult to save the patient's life. There are certain palliative treatment procedures which can reduce the pain and enhance patient's life quality and extend his life duration. New treatments procedures like gene therapy, photodynamic therapy and angiogenesis have been under research which claims to save the patient's life and cure this disease completely.

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